<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Herbs and Spices (and Sweet Things In-Between) by RodimusPrime036</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28665936">Herbs and Spices (and Sweet Things In-Between)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RodimusPrime036/pseuds/RodimusPrime036'>RodimusPrime036</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Destiny (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(And crying a little bit), And Marksman feels a little betrayed, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Introducing someone new to Marksman's stories, M/M, Solus Simping, Who am i kidding a lot of people cry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:40:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28665936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RodimusPrime036/pseuds/RodimusPrime036</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There was one thing Marksman knew to be true: Solus stopped the hurt. At least, that was SUPPOSED to be true. How was he supposed to react when that one truth turns out to be incorrect?</p><p>      (Solus wasn't supposed to hurt him.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ghost/Guardian (Destiny)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The labs are quiet, aside from Marksman's thumping footfalls, and the distant skittering of Fallen retreating from his Guardian's firey anger. "This place is massive," Solus murmurs, peering curiously around the room. Most of it was clean; artificial lights and laminated floors, tubes containing exos decorating the walls with ice and Fallen chitin making most of the mess over the floor, aside from wires and chunks of exo and metal torn apart by the Eliksni. (Marksman always cringed whenever he saw the fallen exos, antsy whenever he passed the tubes or stepped over the bodies. Solus understood why. He couldn't imagine being surrounded in dead ghosts.) "I've never seen this many files- how many exos were created?" Marksman doesn't respond, still clearing the area, and so Solus hums and flits curiously through the datapads lining the wall. Most were unimportant, strangers that likely had never left the labs, and he cringes at occasional mentions of experiments and counseling notes. Most looked nearly the same; only exos that left the labs had custom frames, like Cayde or other Guardians. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, well, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had better things to do than obsess over the data- </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Wait.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>    The exo in this image is familiar. Slanted eyes, soft gold, more rounded plating than he had currently, sixteen little black painted circles on his forehead. He's in traditional lab clothing; a baggy shirt and thin pants, his hands folded in his lap from where he rested on a chair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Marksman. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He looked so small in that picture, no armor, hunched in on himself with a frown on his face. Solus zips through the file quickly- </span>
  <em>
    <span>corrupted. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was corrupted, half the words glitched, more than half the file deleted already. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>'Relations:</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Father: </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>BASAL, Captain from House of Kings</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Earth. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>   Mother: </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(UNKNOWN), Earth. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>(</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>--------</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>) was brought to Braytech Labs by </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>BASAL </em>
  </b>
  <span>-(the image is corrupted, but Solus carries on anyways)- </span>
  <em>
    <span>no other known family. Responded positively to (</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>---------</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>) -will be returning to Earth on </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>BASAL'</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>s request. Negative reactions to (</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>---------</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>) - seven resets over the course of two years </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>There is more- brief stories about one through seven Marksman, but Solus is stuck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Basal, captain from House of Kings. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fallen </span>
  </em>
  <span>name- a Fallen </span>
  <em>
    <span>captain, </span>
  </em>
  <span>from House of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kings. </span>
  </em>
  <span>In all of Solus travels, he only recalls seeing one King- a big, yellow-clad beast that had just been staring out over the horizon. It hadn't even looked twice at him, instead just surveying the earth before turning back and disappearing into the shadows again. But- no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was ridiculous, Marksman </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> be related to an Eliksni. Especially a King. It would make sense though… </span>
  <em>
    <span>nesting, his sounds, his eyes, how territorial he got, his nest cycles where he got testy and hostile whenever anyone was near Solus, he still remembers when Marksman called him </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>nestmate-</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>      Alright. Maybe this wasn't entirely impossible. But- how would Marksman react? Anxiety bubbles under his shell. His Guardian was brilliant, a beautiful beacon of light that stood firm against any threats. He had already reacted poorly to learning exos were tied closely to vex- how would he behave knowing </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>was part Eliksni? Not other exos- just </span>
  <em>
    <span>him. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>     "Solus?" Marksman's voice echoes off the polished floors and high ceiling. He panics, scrambling to put the file back, to hide it away- </span>
  <em>
    <span>no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He flits through the security quickly, whispering an apology into the open air as the corrupted words disappeared into a blank screen, then he used his shell to shove the datapad back into its place before twisting around. "I'm here!" He calls back, twisting quickly as his exo bounded down the hallway. "Are you alright?" He murmurs, nosing his helmet against Solus' shell and rumbling softly. "You seemed anxious for a moment." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, their bond.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He sucks away his nerves, offers a soothing push of warmth and affection. "I'm fine. Just looking through some of these files. Did you know that, of the six files I read, five out of six exos were reset at least three times within the first year?" Marksman hums softly, straightening up and turning back the way they had come. "First experiments must have been riskier. I didn't find much that way, but I think we can expect a storm soon and I'd rather not get stuck here on Europa." Solus bobs his shell in a nod, swallowing down his nerves as they start off towards the exit to the labs. His Guardian was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>Guardian, old life or not. He didn't care a bit about who he used to be, about who helped raise him, but- </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>    His Guardian didn't need to know. It would only upset him, after all, especially since he didn't recall who he used to be. No, this could… this could be his secret. Just one, and no one would be hurt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>    Really, that may have been his first mistake. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Solus you dumb bitch</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He lasts a week. Nerves bubble constantly- </span>
  <em>
    <span>this was to protect him,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Solus tries to assure himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Besides, this 'Basal' was probably dead by now anyways. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Guilt tears at him either way, and he is weak to stop it before Marksman finally huffs and sits on the bed with a frown. "Solus," he says, hands balled on his knees, leaned forward to look over at the ghost. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don't, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Solus thinks, but turns towards him anyways. "Yes, beloved?" Marksman's face quirked into a smile, but hisb stern expression didn't fade. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     "You're hiding something from me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>          "What? I would never hide anything from you-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "Don't lie to me." (And he sounds a little stung, frown deepening, and Solus is </span>
  <em>
    <span>ashamed.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>"I can tell you're lying."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>          "It isn't a- I don't-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "You've been hiding something since we left the labs. Don't think i haven't noticed." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>     "Love-" </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><span>"Solus.</span></em> <span>We're supposed to be honest with each other." (If he frowned any more his face would get stuck that way. He was still so beautiful, but he was even prettier when he was smiling.) "I </span><em><span>need </span></em><span>you to be honest." Solus hesitates, his shell shrunk in on his center as he chewed his words and avoided eye contact. "I- I found something," he finally murmurs, staring a hole in the floor as his husband leaned forward curiously. "About, uhm, you." </span><em><span>Now </span></em><span>Marksman looks even more interested, eyes slanting into an unreadable expression. </span><em><span>Go on</span></em><span>, he says without words. Solus shrinks further in his shell. "I- I didn't," </span><em><span>oh, </span></em><span>he didn't want to go on. "It was about your parents?" He finally offers, soft and trembling. (Guilt sinks jagged teeth into his very soul, and he avoids looking at Marksman at all.) "Though I guess only- only one of them really matters here. Uhm," (he can't think of how to </span><em><span>say </span></em><span>it. He was supposed to hide this away until he forgot about it- but guilt dragged him down, and he didn't </span><em><span>want </span></em><span>to lie.) "Is the name </span><em><span>'Basal' </span></em><span>familiar?" Marksman slowly shakes his head, barely visible from the edge of his vision. "Basal was- or, </span><em><span>is?- </span></em><span>your… actual father. From your first life." </span></p>
<p>
  <span>    Marksman hasn't spoken. There is an odd coiling from his end of their bond. "I say </span>
  <em>
    <span>'is'</span>
  </em>
  <span> because he's a, uhm. He's a Fallen." He cringes, closing his optic at the same time a wave of terrible </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>washed over his shell. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, no.</span>
  </em>
  <span> "I didn't want to tell you because I thought it would upset you!" He cries quickly, (and by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Light, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>betrayal.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>"I didn't- you would have been upset so I didn't-" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>      "You </span><em><span>hid</span></em><b><em> that</em></b> <span>from me?" Marksman's voice is </span><em><span>soft, </span></em><span>barely a whisper, trembling and delicate. </span><em><span>(Oh, </span></em><span>Solus needed to be careful here.) </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>           "I didn't want to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>lied, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Solus." </span>
  <em>
    <span>(No, he hadn't wanted to- </span>
  </em>
  <span>but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>"You- you tried to hide-" his hands are trembling. (He </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and Solus can't even be upset- he </span>
  <em>
    <span>caused </span>
  </em>
  <span>that. He knows he did, he had hidden something so valuable to his titan because- because he had been trying to protect him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Because he had been scared.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>I-" Marksman draws in on himself, his Light drawing sharply away when Solus tries to soothe him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>(No, don't do that, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he pleads silently, even if he knows he doesn't deserve Marksman's calming. It doesn't stop anxiety from tearing through him, sharp and dangerous.) "I didn't want you to react badly if I told you," he offers weakly, and Marksman's voice is a miserable whisper still. "You didn't trust me." His voice is blank, dry and shaky. "You didn't think I could handle it. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>don't."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "No- </span>
  <em>
    <span>no,</span>
  </em>
  <span> that isn't what I-" (it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Shame tears claws through him, a dark snarling in the back of his mind. His Guardian looks so terribly betrayed, huddled in on himself, eyes distant and pained.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>           "You've known for a full week. Did you ever even plan on telling me?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>        "I- … I didn't. I wasn't going to tell you at all." He is honest, now, soft and defeated. (It doesn't make the pain of Marksman's choked little cry any easier to hear.) "I didn't want you to be upset finding out that you're related to Eliksni- you work so hard beating them, I didn't want," </span>
  <em>
    <span>(I didn't want you to feel the guilt of harming your own people. I didn't want you to hurt yourself because of it. I didn't want you to </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>hurt. </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>I hurt you myself.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>"I figured- you wouldn't even want to meet him, what if-" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>"That wasn't your choice." </span>
  </em>
  <span>His voice is strained and tight, (he's hugging himself, soft and shaking,) and terrible guilt gnaws deeper at the ghost. "You knew, and you kept it from me, and you tried to </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> to me." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "I know," Solus whispers back. "I know. I'm sorry." (And Marksman draws further back, physically </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>with his Light when he tries again to connect with their bond. He can't feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> hurt anymore, nothing but his own feral shame and miserable guilt as his trembling Guardian sucked down another shaking sob and dragged himself back further on the bed.) "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew." </span>
  </em>
  <span>He croaks, (and no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was the voice he got when he was trying not to </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>cry.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     "Beloved," he murmurs, and he can't even say he's surprised when Marksman shakes his head again and collapses back into the bed with a shuddering breath. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>You </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>knew," </em>
  </b>
  <span>he whispers again, and Solus doesn't reply. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"</span>
  </em>
  <span>You</span>
  <em>
    <span> knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>and you</span>
  <em>
    <span> lied to me. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We're not supposed to lie to each other. You weren't supposed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt me</span>
  </em>
  <span>." (And </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Solus' next artificial breath catches at that.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "I didn't mean to," he whispers softly, and falls silent as his Guardian burrows under his blankets and curls into a tight little ball, his back to the ghost. It is impossible to ignore the way he's shaking- the soft, shuddering breaths and hiccuping sobs, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and </span>
  <b>
    <em>Solus</em>
  </b>
  <span> caused it. "Oh, love," he sighs softly, and he does not go any closer than hunkering at the opposite side of the bed and resting atop a pillow. "We can talk more in the morning, okay? I love you." Marksman gives a trembling little sound in return, one he recognizes as a slurred, hiccuping 'love you too,' and he feels a little selfish for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>relief </span>
  </em>
  <span>he feels at the response. He gives one more soft push of Light, hit by another violent wave of </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>before Marksman draws further away, and he makes sure to stay close enough to react if his titan has a nightmare.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     He stays up through the night with shame gnawing at him like a rat trapped in his shell, and he wonders how he can ever make it up to his Guardian. (</span>
  <em>
    <span>"You weren't supposed to hurt me" </span>
  </em>
  <span>echoes in his head, and he knows this won't be fixed with a sweet name and a bowl of ramen.) </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Things aren't better in the morning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>   Marksman seems exhausted as he drags himself out of bed. He doesn't give Solus more than one look before staggering to the bathroom- (and he looks so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired, </span>
  </em>
  <span>his eyes dark and slanted in a miserable expression, faceplates off-center and lopsided.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     "Beloved," he calls after him, unsurprised when he receives no response, (but still terribly sad.) Flitting quickly after his Guardian, he perches on the edge of the sink as Marksman ran a hand over his face before turning on the shower and sticking his fingers under the water. "I know you don't want to talk to me," Solus speaks anyways, watching him kick out of his pajamas and step under the heated spray. "I was wrong. And you don't need to forgive me yet. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>you, and my reasons don't matter, because I did that without thinking of how you would feel." (Marksman doesn't reply still; he tilts his head further back under the water, pawing thoughtlessly over the seam on his belly where old plating met the new. Solus pays attention, because he doesn't want his Guardian to get too rough against himself.) "You get to be angry with me. I betrayed your trust and </span>
  <em>
    <span>lied </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And I know right now you're upset and angry, and you have every right to be." (He scrubs at his face with a soapy towel before running it over his shoulders and chest. His eyes are closed.) "I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>to decide when to forgive me, because I know right now I haven't done anything to deserve it. I love you though, okay? I'm going to be better for you. I never want to be the cause for you being so upset again." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    And then Marksman gives a strangled sob, kneeling under the spray with his arms hugged around his knees, which were drawn up to his chest, his face hidden in his legs as he trembled there. (The water rattled noisily off his plating, gentle pellets that rolled like tiny streams down the grooves in his armor, and Solus' voice is soft and delicate.) "Do you need touch?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>   When Marksman hugs himself tighter and shakes his head, Solus doesn't push. (Marksman needs time, he knows, and despite the lost pain bouncing around his shell, he is more than willing to respect his need for distance.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Marksman sits by Saint with a distant expression. Solus had quietly wandered off earlier, murmuring about Neptune as he went, and Marksman had been alone most of the morning. Maybe that was why Saint had snagged his shoulder, had leaned down to softly speak to him out in the hanger- "come, little bird, I can see you are upset. Let us talk, yes?" And he had followed, dragging his feet as Saint led him up into his ship and gestured to a chair at the tiny two-person table. Saint is silent as he makes his way through the ship, ducking around before returning eagerly with two mugs of water and teabags. He holds the cups out to Marksman, who took one in each hand and allowed his palms to heat until the water steamed and bubbled softly. While Saint fixed up the tea- Marksman's was nearly white with minty creamer, while Saint's had honey and lavender,- the smaller titan gazed sightlessly down at the table and tapped his fingers on the wood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>       "Talk to me, little bird," Saint presses gently, and Marksman made a vague motion with his hands. "Ah," the silver-clad exo nodded patiently. "Not in the mood for talking yet?" He nodded back, sitting in silence for a long fifteen minutes, looking down before whispering his response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>       "Did you- Solus said my dad's an Eliksni." Saint arches a brow, (Marksman hadn't noticed when he'd removed his helmet,) sipping slowly on his steaming mug. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Continue, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he wordlessly prompted, and Marksman stared down into his cup. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. He- he </span>
  <em>
    <span>lied </span>
  </em>
  <span>to me, and he hurt me, and I thought he wasn't supposed to do that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "He isn't,"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>         "It </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He's my </span>
  <em>
    <span>person,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and he hurt me. And I don't know- a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fallen? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Solus said he was from House of Kings- I don't think I've ever met one of those. What am I supposed to do?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>   He knows he's getting worked up again, the tea in the mug rippling as his fingers trembled, and Saint reached out to gently rest his hand over his forearm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>        "You are allowed to hurt," Saint murmurs gently, "and you are not less than who you used to be. If you want to meet the one who raised you before, then Shaxx and I will support you. Solus must know he's caused you great turmoil- he cares much about you, but even he makes mistakes." (Marksman knows he is right, but it doesn't make the ache in his chest any less painful.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "I don't… I want to know him. If he's actually my blood," he cringes slightly, shrinking into his chair. "You and dad- you've both raised me, and no one can ever take that away. Am I bad? For wanting to know, I mean." Saint laughs lightly, shaking his head and gently patting his arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "No, you are not bad. Shaxx and I will always be your fathers- you meeting this Fallen, if he is still alive, will not change that. And if you find you want to stay in contact with him? We will still support you." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      They continue talking for a long time, tucked together in the ship. Marksman feels a bit better under Saint's soft guidance- he </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn't </span>
  </em>
  <span>need to forgive Solus yet, not when his chest still crushed and ached at the reminders, but that didn't mean he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> forgive him eventually. "He did what he thought was right," Saint had said, "but he never thought about how he would be affecting </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You do not owe your forgiveness; it must be </span>
  <em>
    <span>earned." </span>
  </em>
  <span>And he had nodded softly, and before he left, they had hugged for a long time. (He had collapsed into Saint's chest, murmuring a soft </span>
  <em>
    <span>"thank you, pop," </span>
  </em>
  <span>as the titan supported his weight and gently pet over the back of his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I will always be here when you need me," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had promised warmly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"just don't tell Shaxx I kept you from today's Crucible matches.") </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     And he feels a little better, as he makes his way back to their apartment, finding Solus staring distantly off from his perch on his pillow. (And he hasn't forgiven yet, but he feels he can get there.)</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>   "Neptune, I need your help." He knows he sounds desperate, his shell twisting anxiously as he flitted nervously around the other ghost. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>       "Oh? What for?" He doesn't look away from his work- staring down at the bundles of flowers in the window of the shop, with Ari a few stores ahead. (Solus knows what he's looking for, and feels a bang of hurt- and </span>
  <em>
    <span>guilt- </span>
  </em>
  <span>at the small reminder of his own Guardian. Maybe he ought to try and get Marksman some of those little purple flowers he liked- the ones from their wedding. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was distracting himself.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "I- I really hurt Marksman," he confesses softly, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>now </span>
  </em>
  <span>he has Neptune's attention; the blue ghost blinked once before looking away from his peach and orange roses. "I did something, </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and I hurt him, and I need help fixing it." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>            "What did you do?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "I hid something," he sighs softly, shell drooping in a motion of guilt. "About something really important to him. About his </span>
  <em>
    <span>old </span>
  </em>
  <span>life. And I need to fix it." Neptune is peering curiously at him, and he continues nervously. "I need to, uhm, find an Eliksni. From the House of Kings. And I need you to watch Marksman for me until I get back." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    "Solus, you are a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dumbass." </span>
  </em>
  <span>(Ah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>there </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>        "I know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>  "No, no- not about the Marksman thing. Although I am a little hurt you think I want to babysit your Guardian. Wait- also, yes, you are a dumbass for that as well actually, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>you can't hide things from him, why would you even </span>
  <em>
    <span>try?" </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>         "I don't know." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "Okay, that doesn't matter. Well, actually it does, but not right now. What </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>matter is that you think Ari and I would let you hunt down a </span>
  <em>
    <span>King</span>
  </em>
  <span> by </span>
  <em>
    <span>yourself, </span>
  </em>
  <span>while you stick us with </span>
  <em>
    <span>babysitting duty." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>"So-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "So give me a moment and I'll get Ari, and we'll see about finding your King. Why do you need an Eliksni anyways?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>            "I'm actually looking for his dad." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>        "I'd ask more about that, but I really don't think I want all the details right now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    This was taking far longer than Solus had expected. They'd spent the first day prowling the EDZ, (and Marksman had called Ari and Neptune in such a panic at three a.m that night that Solus had nearly decided to turn back. Ari had crossly informed him that Solus had claimed he had told the titan already, and Solus cringed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, </span>
  </em>
  <span>another of his little white lies. Marksman wouldn't have let him go if he had asked.) The second day, after Ari rests, they find themselves back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Back. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Back where he had first found his Guardian, where he had revived him and fallen in love on sight, where he had sworn his life to that of a beautiful golden-plated exo, where he had lost himself in honey eyes and a lopsided grin-</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>    And where he sees his second-time-spotted King. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     The captain doesn't seem particularly interested in much around it. It sits heavily atop a rusted old car, bundled in its dark blue and yellow cape, gazing mournfully at the place Marksman had been rezzed the first time. (He </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows </span>
  </em>
  <span>that place, remembers the day he had found his exo as clear as he remembered the color of the sky.) Ari is crouched behind a chunk of twisted metal, peering over to the captain and giving Solus a curious head tilt. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She says wordlessly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what are we doing? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "Excuse me!" (And alright, maybe that was a stupid decision, but even if Marksman wasn't talking to him he </span>
  <em>
    <span>missed </span>
  </em>
  <span>him so terribly that he just wanted to go </span>
  <em>
    <span>home.</span>
  </em>
  <span>) The captain jerks up like it had been hit with an arc grenade, snarling as it spun towards them and squared its shoulders- </span>
  <em>
    <span>(it made itself look bigger, it squared its shoulders, it fluffed up like an angry </span>
  </em>
  <b>cat)- </b>
  <span>and a shot from a wire rifle just barely misses the little ghost, who yelps and whips back to Ari's protection. The rusted metal beneath the captain squeals when he stands, slinging </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>gun over his shoulder to grip it in two hands as he prowled towards their cover. Another shot rings out and Ari tucks the two ghosts under an arm before rolling, a blur of blue that ducks quickly behind a bigger car. "Great plan," Neptune deadpans, and Solus hissed crossly to himself a moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "You're Basal, right?" He calls over the car, pointedly ignoring Ari's furious shushing as she paused in her creeping along the car. The captain paused- (tilted his head to the left, threw his shoulders back ever so slightly,)- and raised one of his smaller arms in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pause </span>
  </em>
  <span>motion. Solus pushed on. "You are, and you- you have a son, right?" The captain's frame hunches slightly, (another shot fires and he snarls again and turns towards its source,) and Ari and Neptune are staring at him like he's taming a wild beast. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>"Had," </span>
  </em>
  <span>the captain- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Basal-</span>
  </em>
  <span> growls back, and his voice is ragged and thick with an emotion Solus doesn't recognize from an Eliksni. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Had </span>
  </em>
  <span>a son."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>             "Have!" Solus corrects quickly. "I, uhm- he's a Guardian, I'm his ghost, hi, lovely to meet you-" (and Neptune gives him a </span>
  <em>
    <span>look, </span>
  </em>
  <span>making him cringe, but then the captain's hand connects with the hood of the car with a loud crunch, blocking their current escape, and Ari falls back in the dirt with a soft </span>
  <em>
    <span>oof.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>She raises her gun, hesitant as she drags herself backwards, but the Eliksni hardly casts her a look as he leans close to the ghost hovering between them. The silence is thick enough to cut with a knife- then it is burst. The Fallen rises, raises both lower hands as he slings his gun back over his shoulder and steps cautiously back. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "You will </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk." </span>
  </em>
  <span>The Eliksni says, and it isn't a question, but Solus bobs his shell in agreement always and looks back to Neptune and Ari. The hunter hesitantly lowers her gun, rising slowly and keeping Neptune tucked away in her hood. "We have a lot to talk about," he agrees softly, watching as two vandals slowly crept through the twisted cars to stand beside the captain. He makes a gesture Solus doesn't recognize, and they settle in beside Ari. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Escorting, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he notes distantly, far more interested in the King currently leading them through the junkyard. (The way his head dips by Marksman's last resting place, but he keeps his shoulders square and firm, the strut Marksman used when he was demanding attention and making himself look bigger.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Solus follows hesitantly, and hopes his leaving won't make his Guardian upset with him even more.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The den is a little hole in the wall, hidden by rust and rock, and it takes nearly forty five minutes before they even get to it. Basal directs them inside first, seemingly wanting to speak with the vandals, and so Solus leads the way into the tunnel that widens into a large cave. He didn't even know if it could be called that- it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>massive, </span>
  </em>
  <span>opening more into what looked like a house that had been crushed in rubble. There are three bedrooms- it seemed the rubble had crushed through the living room and dining room, as those were the rooms crushed to form the tunnel, and there were thick wooden beams set up to keep the remaining roof from caving any further due to the rocks above. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>         And there were </span>
  <em>
    <span>pictures. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Most of the walls were plastered with photos. Majority were of a woman; dark skin, sparkling brown eyes and a brilliant grin,  with a curly pile of dark brown hair. She had a metal arm and wore pretty skirts, and she was in many pictures with the captain, beaming up to whatever camera they had been using. Some had her looking softer, just her, with months and numbers marked on the edges- she was going to have a baby, he noted, hovering close to the photos and scanning them curiously. Sometimes she was asleep, or waving the camera away with a playfully frustrated look when she was in her pajamas, sometimes she was brushing out her curls or cleaning her teeth, and he can see the Eliksni in the mirror taking the picture behind her. Suddenly there is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>baby- </span>
  </em>
  <span>a little baby that can't seem to focus on the camera, giggling up at his mother or reaching for whoever held the camera. Some of them don't have the woman- some have the captain hunkered over the child, staring down at him like a cat staring at a laser light, some have the baby grabbing at his hands or pawing at his face. One has the Fallen carrying the baby in a carrier around his chest and nuzzling at his fluffy curls, yet another shows the little one in a lion onesie sitting atop his cape and giggling up at the playfully cross captain. </span>
  <em>
    <span>(That was his husband, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he realizes with a start, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that giggly little child was his </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Guardian.) </em>
  </b>
  <span>He notes, abruptly, how the woman disappears from photos along another wall. Just Marksman, sometimes with other Fallen, usually with the captain. He grows up along the wall- a little child that wore boots and liked to fingerpaint, a teenager that carried bags of supplies and failed to bake, (and he nearly laughs at the sight of him and Basal covered in cake batter, glaring down at a book on the table. Whoever took that one must have been sneaking,) he sees a before-and-after set, of his titan as a young adult with a large suitcase, taking a photo with a larger group of Eliksni, leading into him as an </span>
  <em>
    <span>exo, </span>
  </em>
  <span>taller, big and </span>
  <em>
    <span>gold, </span>
  </em>
  <span>still swamped by the captain but standing tall as they squeezed one another. (He bets that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>picture had been the first time they saw one another since his trip to become exo, judging by how blurry the photo was.) Ari looks with him, far more cautious than he was, scanning the room in its entirety before creeping closer to inspect the pictures. "He was cute." She says, (he can hear the soft curiosity in her voice,) and he bobs his shell in a nod. "He's cute </span>
  <em>
    <span>now, </span>
  </em>
  <span>too," he points out with anxious amusement. "Was that his mom?" She points to a picture, yelping when a low growl ripples through the room. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Don't </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>touch," </em>
  </b>
  <span>Basal grumbles, slinking into the room before settling in the darker corner. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>     "Talk."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>"Oh, right," Solus cringes slightly, suddenly aware that he hadn't practiced anything to say. "Right. Marksman is-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "Marksman?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>          "Yes, that's his name now. You're, uhm, well, I suppose you wouldn't know he was brought back. He's been alive a few years now-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>"Years?"</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>            "Oh, yes- he would have found you if he, uhm, could remember you. Being revived after being dead so long can make your old life a little fuzzy, after all." He cringes as the captain slumps, shoulders dropping down and clicking mournfully. (He understands, distantly- he couldn't imagine his own pain if his love had forgotten him, and losing a child must truly have been dark.) "Right. I revived him nearly ten years ago, during the Red War," he continues quietly, "he's the Guardian responsible for ending the war, and the one who went after Uldren Sov when Cayde was killed." Basal snarls softly at the first name, low and cross, (and he briefly recalls his history- ah, yes, the House of Kings had been betrayed by Uldren, and most were killed off to join the scorn.) "He was also very active on the moon, however we spend most days on Earth or Europa as of late." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Basal clicks softly- </span>
  <em>
    <span>(clickclickchurr, one of Marksman's patterns)- </span>
  </em>
  <span>and seems interested suddenly, leaning forward and speaking hushed and eager. "My boy," he murmurs, blinking quickly at the ghost, who clicked softly. "You said my boy was alive. Where is he?" Solus shrinks in his shell, and Basal slants his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "He's… a little upset with me right now. I wanted to find you to make it up to him." He admits honestly, and Neptune huffed from behind him. "They're married," the other ghost called pleasantly, "and he was a jerk, so Marksman is back at the tower while we went to find you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Basal suddenly looked very interested, peering down at Solus with a newer expression and churring softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>   "Married?" He repeats, and Solus nods softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>        "He calls me </span>
  <em>
    <span>nestmate.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" (And Basal's chest shakes in silent glee, even if an uncertain sort of aura still surrounded him.) </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "My boy has a </span>
  <em>
    <span>mate!" </span>
  </em>
  <span>He crows, and Solus is a little surprised by how quickly he turned bright. "You will take me to see him?" And he sounds so </span>
  <em>
    <span>hopeful</span>
  </em>
  <span>, blue eyes big and pleading, and Solus nods faster. "Of course. Ari, you'll help me get him into the city?" He turns back to her, (her, who looked determined and eager despite Neptune's slightly uneasy expression,) and she nodded happily. "If it'll get Marksman back, absolutely. I don't want you trying to stick us on babysitting duty again." Solus glares, playfully and warm. "It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>one time!" </span>
  </em>
  <span>He argued with a pout, and she waved him off. "We both know he'll be throwing a fit 'cause you tried going off </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hell, he's probably already set up a self-pity nest while he waits for you." (He watches from the corner of his vision as Basal skitters through the house, snagging a small bag that he tucked various odd boxes into while they chatted. Neptune was watching him too, intent and focused.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>   He stops suddenly- stares at the wall, the woman, and speaks softly to them. "He doesn't remember?" (And he sounds so </span>
  <em>
    <span>sad </span>
  </em>
  <span>suddenly, soft and hesitant in a way that makes Solus' own mood somber.) "No, he doesn't." Basal nodded softly, and Solus gets the feeling he's frowning. "And you know he is my son? That this isn't-" a fist clenches, and Ari rests a hand over her knife. "This isn't a </span>
  <em>
    <span>trick? </span>
  </em>
  <span>You have my boy?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     Solus understands the fear. It had been over six hundred years since this Eliksni had seen Marksman, since he had seen his </span>
  <em>
    <span>son, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and that this could easily be a trick or a mistake. "I don't think I could be wrong," he replies quietly, watches as the Fallen tucks a larger package into his bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>         "You two are too much alike for me to be wrong."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     "We are?" </span>
  <em>
    <span>Clickclickchurr</span>
  </em>
  <span>, gentle and soft.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>         "You are. He certainly took after you a lot." The captain laughs then, (shoulders thrown back, weight slanted onto one hip, so much like Marksman it's startling.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "He used to take after his mother," he confesses quietly, "he was her little shadow." (And Solus doesn't ask about her, because he stopped again to stare at the picture of her in a yellow sundress, and he lets the Eliksni linger before he turns to face them again.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> "Take me to my son." </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I hope you all know I read all of your comments and appreciate you all ♡</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marksman was </span>
  <em>
    <span>distraught. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Solus had disappeared three days ago- no warning, no heads up, and it had taken a day to get ahold of Ari just to find out he had snuck off without him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Traveler knew where </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>without him- </em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>    No, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he needed to calm down. His fingers caught on his plating with a jolt that </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he hissed softly before using the pads of his fingers to soothe the sting. The water on his back is hot, </span>
  <em>
    <span>(when had he gotten in the shower?) </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he tunes out to the drone of droplets hitting his back. This was his fault- he had been upset, but- he hadn't wanted Solus to </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave him here alone, </span>
  </em>
  <span>hadn't wanted to make him sneak off with another Guardian without telling him, hadn't wanted to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone- </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>ow. </em>
  </b>
  <span>He jerks his hands away from the seam on his belly, snarling at the sharp jolt that dragged him out of his thoughts. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where was Solus? He was supposed to make the hurt go away. </span>
  </em>
  <span>No, Solus left him here alone and he needed to-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    He needed to get out of the shower. He was still in his pajama pants, which clung to his legs and stuck to the sides of the tub when he heaved himself to his feet and fumbled to turn the water off. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wasn't dependent on Solus- terribly worried, yes, but not dependent. His socks squish on contact with the floor, and he makes his way out of the bathroom to find a towel. Drying off is an </span>
  <em>
    <span>effort, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he nearly decides to give up and just lay on the floor, but he hates sticky clothes and his socks leave a soaking trail, so he sighs heavily and changes into new pajamas before sinking into bed and staring up at the ceiling. Had he overreacted? Was that why Solus had left him here, </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He didn't like being alone, and Solus knew that- so why had he left him? (He must have done something wrong. Saint said he was allowed to be upset, hadn't he? Saint wouldn't lie. Probably.) He rolls to his side, hugging Doc to his chest and staring now at the wall, a frown tugging at his features as he pawed at Doc's fur. Ari and Neptune had said Solus was alright, so why hadn't he contacted him? Why hadn't he told him he was safe, why he had left? He squeezes Doc tighter and heaves a trembling sigh. (He had been too emotional these last few days. He had been too emotional since the accident on Titan, actually. Maybe he would try to dull those emotions until he felt he could control them better.) He was tired of being upset- he wanted his ghost back, wanted to not sleep alone, wanted touch and their constant bond-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "Marksman?" His finials perk, and he picks his miserable head up off the pillows and out of Doc's cozy fur. The door rattles softly, and he recognizes Ari and Solus' murmuring voices, before Solus transmats through the door in a little sparkle of blues and white. "Marksman- </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>." He falls silent quickly, hushed and hesitant, and Marksman blinks owlishly at the ghost. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Solus," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he whispers, trembling and soft, and his ghost crooned softly, gliding quietly across the room. His Light collides harshly against Solus'; a ragged push-pull of </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperation, </span>
  </em>
  <span>violent and frightened, and he knows Solus feels it because his flight stutters and he replies with his own gentle warmth, a soft flow of gentle </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>that cools the wild burn as the ghost approaches. "Touch?" He asks softly, and Marksman's voice wavers and cracks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Please." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Solus is familiar in his hands. Each groove and dip of his shell is memorized, permanently engraved to his mind to the point he wouldn't even need vision to know what he was doing as he shakily pet at his flippers. Soft blue seeps from his shell, gliding like water over his hands, his wrists and forearms, soothing and warm and </span>
  <em>
    <span>there, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the titan trembled under the soft attention. "Oh, my pretty boy," Solus cooed, soft and warm, solid against his fingers. "You left me." Marksman knows his voice is a whine, and Solus cringes, shell clicking in an aborted attempt at movement before he cozied into his palms more. "I didn't mean to be gone so long," he offers weakly. "I had to- I hurt you and I needed to fix it. And I was safe-" </span>
  <em>
    <span>(kind of)</span>
  </em>
  <span>- "and Ari was with me. And I brought someone back to see you." </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>gets the exo's attention; he drags himself out of his shaking, heaving a few strained breaths as Solus' careful heat lapped over his chest, soothing the sting on his midsection that his previous pawing had caused while their Light meshed gently together. "Let's get you tidied up, alright? He's very excited to see you again." </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It takes nearly ten minutes just to get Marksman stumbling back to the bathroom. Steam still wisps out from the door, and his soaked pajamas are moved into the tub to clean up a bit while the exo collects himself in the mirror. (Solus decides he looks wonderful already, even if there's a shake in his hands and he hesitates to let go of his shell.) He sends quick note to Ari- </span>
  <em>
    <span>we'll be a moment, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he tells Neptune, </span>
  <em>
    <span>just give us a few minutes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He knows, judging by his Guardian's Light feverishly swamping his own, that he would need a bit to settle, and he didn't want to overwhelm the already tense titan. "Beloved," he prompts after another five minutes, and Marksman slants his eyes and tilts his head softly towards the ghost. "I'm with you, alright? And Ari and Neptune are waiting for you to be ready, but we don't have too much time, and your guest is so excited to see you." He blinks slowly, distant and confused, and Solus butts gently into his forehead. "I understand why you're upset- I… was supposed to have Neptune here with you, but he and Ari went with me. I'm sorry for leaving you alone though, and I won't be going anywhere anytime soon, okay?" Marksman's fingers drag over his flipper, quietly directing the ghost into the crook of his neck so he could rest his cheek on his shell. "Don't leave me again," he murmured, soft and trembling. "Just promise you won't leave me again." Solus tilts his shell into his shoulder, crooning softly. "I promise. And I won't hide anything important again either, okay?" (And Marksman nods, soft and hesitant, sighs and rests his hands on the rim of the sink, then gives Solus a knowing look.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "Can I assume we're meeting my dad?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "That would be a pretty accurate assumption." (And he nuzzles closer, and Marksman's Light folds heavily over his own, and it feels like a distant forgiveness.)</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Neptune transmats the skittish captain within moments of Solus' approval. Marksman had gathered his wild emotions until his Light was a gentle, cool nudge against Solus, and then he had tidied their little apartment before nodding over to Solus. (</span>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm ready,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" he had announced, but Solus was well aware of his hesitation. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you." </span>
  </em>
  <span>He had added softly, had given the ghost a soft, unreadable look. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"For- for doing this. Even if you left without me." </span>
  </em>
  <span>His smile is tight but teasing, and Solus gently nuzzled their faces together, delighted when Marksman returns the attention. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I would do it again for you," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he promises firmly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"though I would bring you with me.") </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>      Basal is </span>
  <em>
    <span>big. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He has to hunch slightly to avoid bumping into the hallway walls and the doorframe, and Solus is nearly surprised by how he hadn't even noticed his massive size before. Marksman's anxiety spikes the moment the captain appears, and the ghost gently nudged his cheek while the Eliksni got his bearings. (He presses their Light together firmly, offering comfort through the bond more than he can physically show as Marksman cautiously speaks to the hulking Fallen.) "Hi," he offers, (Solus stifles a snort at the uncertainty in his voice.) "I'm, uh, Marksman- but I think you know me already?" He throws the ghost a curious look, but Solus focuses solely on the way Basal freezes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>      The captain was </span>
  <em>
    <span>staring, </span>
  </em>
  <span>posture stiff and frozen in place as he slowly blinked and took in the Guardian. His lower hands clutched around the bag he had been carrying, his top set trembling as he hesitantly stepped forward, close, </span>
  <em>
    <span>close, </span>
  </em>
  <span>until he was near enough to touch- then he </span>
  <em>
    <span>clicked. Clickclickchurr, </span>
  </em>
  <span>followed closely by a small set of chirps and growling purrs. Marksman's eyes widen- </span>
  <em>
    <span>recognition, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he gingerly echoed the sound. (His pronunciation is different, dull and messy in his chirps, but it is close enough, and the Eliksni heaved a strained, choked wheeze before dropping the bag with a soft </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump </span>
  </em>
  <span>and dragging the exo to his chest. Marksman startles, a soft huff escaping as the captain curled around him and weakly chattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "My </span>
  <em>
    <span>boy," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he whispers, ragged and weepy, (and Solus feels a suddenly, frightening </span>
  <em>
    <span>nostalgia </span>
  </em>
  <span>from his Guardian, an ache he's never felt before, and Marksman raises his arms and crushes them around the captain with a trembling whine.) "Hi, papa," his voice is tight and wobbling, his fingers knotted in Basal's cloak, and the Eliksni squeezes at him tighter, as though he would disappear like sand through his fingers, (like he had never even been here at all, like this was a dream, and Solus knows that if that was the case, that the shaking Eliksni wouldn't want to wake up again.) "I hear you've made quite a name for yourself." Basal murmured, and his helmet clicked gently against Marksman's head as the Guardian buried his face in his scarf. He clicked, fading into a rumbling churr, and Marksman nodded into the golden yellow fabric. "My cub," the captain practically purred, thick and pleased, (and Solus knows Marksman recognizes that name, distant and fuzzy somewhere in his past, and he is nearly overwhelmed by his Guardian's flooding emotion. It was quite a sight- he saved it to memory, quickly sending out an image to Neptune, asking for a printed picture. Neptune doesn't reply, but he holds hope that the other ghost would find a way.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     It takes a long time before they seperate. For nearly ten minutes they had just stayed there, swaying slowly together, the captain petting at his back and shoulders as Marksman remained smushed into his chest. Solus stayed politely silent, waiting patiently until Basal drew back and fumbled to pick up his dropped pack. Marksman tentatively reached for the ghost, and Solus cozied happily into his palm before Basal spoke. "I have- gifts? For you. For your mate." Marksman collapsed back on the edge of the bed with a soft huff, and he stares up at Basal like a child staring up at the stars- (different than how he looked at Solus; he looked at Solus with smoldering heat and such open adoration, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>beautiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He looked at Basal with soft curiosity, an eager delight to his features, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>familiarity </span>
  </em>
  <span>despite his memories being fuzzy and warped.) Basal produces something soft and pink- a stuffed animal, Solus realizes, (and </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual </span>
  </em>
  <span>bear, unlike Doc, though Solus didn't have the heart to tell Marksman he wasn't a bear.) It's </span>
  <em>
    <span>old, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he can tell, a deep purplish shade with softer pink hearts decorating its fur. When he focuses on it, he can see it has extra arms; smaller, and stitched on with careful care. Marksman's expression twists into thoughtfulness, and Solus rests comfortably on his shoulder to peer curiously at the bear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "You used to call him Roo," Basal informs, gaze flitting between the pink animal and the Guardian.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>"Root,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> Marksman's correction is quick and firm. "His name was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Root." </span>
  </em>
  <span>Basal looks delighted, eagerly handing Marksman the teddy and settling into a hunched crouch on the floor in front of them. "Root." He agrees happily, chattering and chirping as the titan cradled the stuffed bear in his hands. Solus hums softly, nuzzling into his neck while he peered down at the toy. "That's very old." Solus muses, and Basal nods agreeably. "Over six hundred years," he informs readily. "You've had him since you were just a baby, back when he was nearly the same size as you." He bumps his forehead against Marksman's with an audible click, before rocking back on his heels and twisting his head to look to Solus. "You have been caring for… Marksman?" He sounds like he's tasting the name, thoughtful and curious, and Solus nods agreeably. "I have. But he takes care of me, too." Marksman hums, soft and pleased, tilting his cheek over his shell and offering a soft purr, and Basal's visible expression lights up at the sound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     His gifts are small and interesting- shiny stones and dried plants, mostly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ingredients</span>
  </em>
  <span>, though Solus doesn't know what for yet, but something bigger still sits in the bag. (The pack was bigger than he thought, about the size of the captain's chest, and Solus' curiosity was buzzing in his shell.) Marksman and Basal speak softly to one another, murmuring about the past and the present- "you used to love Hibiscis and Mint," (and Solus doesn't understand what herbs have to do with anything,) "Papreeka and Oregono have been taking care of them. While you were…" he trails off, distant and unhappy, before continuing. "While you were gone." Marksman nods softly, (but Solus knows he hasn't a clue who Basal is talking about,) and the captain offered a nearly embarrassed grumble. "Enough about the past," he announces, "let us discuss </span>
  <em>
    <span>you." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>   They talk for hours- about the missions on the moon, about pyramids and lemon cakes, ramen shops and Hive and cave-ins, about Crucible and Trials and the Titan accident, (and Basal seems so heartbroken at that one, trembling and miserable, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I should have protected you," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he whispers, and Marksman waves him off with a strained little laugh. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I don't think there was any preventing that one," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he assures, not that it soothes Basal </span>
  <em>
    <span>or </span>
  </em>
  <span>Solus.) They talk about the wedding, about Shaxx and Saint and Europa, about everything and anything that comes to mind about Marksman's time alive. Solus pipes up occasionally, but is more content to sit and listen as his partner eagerly rambled about the Red War or Calus, about strikes and guns and Ari and his found fathers. By the time the sun is sinking they still haven't quieted, but Basal seems to note the time as he slowly rises. "I need to leave," he murmurs, soft and displeased, and Marksman frowns. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>      "Why?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "My team needs me. I can't leave them too long, in case…" </span>
  <em>
    <span>something happens. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Traveler knew the Eliksni had lost enough. He is hesitant though, clearly torn between returning home and staying with his found son. Marksman rises cautiously, gently placing Root on the bed by Doc before holding Solus in his palms and softly humming. "We can take you home?" He offers, and the captain nods agreeably, looking around the room one more time. "Can I… visit again? Later?" He sounds so soft, gentle and nervous, chattering quietly, and Marksman nods firmly. "Yes- absolutely. And maybe we can stay with your group, eventually?" (Solus nearly </span>
  <em>
    <span>aw</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s at their shyness, and Basal gives a pleased churr.) "Of course." He agrees, and Solus waits approval before he transmats them to Marksman's ship with a shower of glittering sparks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     The trip to the EDZ is filled with quiet, pleased voices and gentle clicks and purrs. Solus watches them quietly, warm and pleased as they refamiliarize themselves and tell stories of the time they missed. (He notes, with soft sorrow, how Basal never once mentions the woman in the photos, and Marksman doesn't seem willing to bring it up.) They touch down among the wreckage, and Marksman seems hesitant to leave the ship. To leave would mean that Basal was leaving too, Solus knows, and Marksman flits his hands anxiously over the dash in a false motion of being busy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "You could-"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>    "Can I-" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       They speak together, biting into embarrassed silence before Marksman tentatively continues. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>        "You could call us any time. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Any. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Let me know if you need any help, or company, or- or just want to talk, or get ramen or something-" He's rambling, shy and uncertain, and Solus giggles softly. (He earns a playfully cross look, but Basal seems to share his soft nervousness.)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      "I would… I would like that. And the rest of the team would too, if you want to see them." He stands slowly, gently resting a massive hand on the exo's shoulder before continuing. "You'll always have a home with us- with </span>
  <em>
    <span>me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>okay?" He chatters softly, gently nuzzling at Marksman's forehead and looking past him to Solus. "Your mate, too. You're both welcome with us." He drops his heavy pack on the floor beside him with a soft </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Marksman stands up sharply to throw his arms tight around the captain. "We can visit?" He croaks, thick and strained, (and Solus knows he's trying not to cry.) The Eliksni bundled him up in all four arms, crooning softly and dropping his chin atop his golden head while giving low, soothing purrs. "You can </span>
  <em>
    <span>stay," </span>
  </em>
  <span>Basal corrects gently, "but I suppose visiting will work, too." They hug for another long moment, Marksman with his face hidden in his collar, Basal with his chin atop his his head, and Solus sits quietly, allowing them their moment, (even if he desperately wants Marksman's attention now that he's no longer angry.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>     After a few more gentle words, Basal departed. They speak outside the ship a moment- just a moment, where they tuck close together and murmur so softly, and Solus doesn't snoop then- before Marksman returns to his seat and they depart back to the stars. "Solus," he turns to the ghost, after staring out the large window, and Solus hummed quietly before carefully approaching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>   "Touch?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>       "You don't need to ask, my love."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>    "I hurt you earlier." (Spoken as he promptly snuggles into Marksman's outstretched hands.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>        "You made up for it. Thank you." (He draws him close to his warm chest, gently pets at his flippers.) "And you- you promised not to do it again, which means I can trust you, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>     "Absolutely. If you think it's okay now, I mean." (Hesitant and nervous, but Marksman nods and brings him up to nuzzle at his optic.)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>          "Then I </span>
  <em>
    <span>forgive </span>
  </em>
  <span>you," (soft and decisive, as he gives one nod and drops his head back against the seat. Solus perches on the front of his armor, staring up at his pretty golden faceplates and brilliant honey-yellow eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, he was lovely.)</span>
  </em>
  <span> "Thank you," Marksman adds softly. "I- I didn't think I would ever get to meet someone from my old life. And you did that for me." Solus hums softly, almost shy as he curled into the crook of his neck once he tilted his head enough. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "I had to fix what I did." He informs firmly, before pausing. "He left his bag here. I think on purpose." Marksman chirps quietly, a curious sound as he sits up properly and turns to face the dusty pack. He catches one of its loops in his fingers, hefting it into his lap and humming softly, hesitant as he thumbs over the zipper. "Do you think he'll be mad I opened it?" He questions, and Solus snorted on a laugh. "I think you could throw it in the trash and he wouldn't even be frustrated, with how excited he was to see you. Besides, I think it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>for </span>
  </em>
  <span>you." Marksman still looks hesitant, but it seems his curiosity seems to have won over, as he cautiously unzips the bag and pulls out… </span>
  <em>
    <span>fabric. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Long, nearly black (but still blue) with golden yellow design, folded into a small enough square to fit in the bag, a thick fluffy section that was a dark grayish blue- "Oh!" Solus chirps, scanning over the folded material quickly, "looks like you're a certified captain now!" (But Marksman doesn't speak, running his fingers softly over the material and making an odd little sound, and Solus' shell twists quickly to the right.)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>     He unfolds the cloak, standing up to judge how big it was; unfolded it hit the floor, and when he raises his arms to his shoulders it still brushed the ground. (Solus notes, embroidered on the inside, just below the fluff, the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cub.</span>
  </em>
  <span>) "Try it on," he prompts quietly, (and maybe he's putting all this to memory, because his titan has a look of such  pretty wonderment as he runs the cloth through his fingers, and three days apart had nearly made him forget how much he adored just </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking </span>
  </em>
  <span>at his exo. At the way his eyes brightened as he admired the cloak, the way his head tilted </span>
  <em>
    <span>just so </span>
  </em>
  <span>to the left, gentle and curious- a firm push of Marksman's Light drags him from his admiring, warm and pleased.) "You're staring," the titan informs, and Solus gives an embarrassed little huff. "I like to see you." He shoots back, then chirps eagerly when Marksman slings the hood around his shoulders and fluffs the collar. It's </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty,</span>
  </em>
  <span> fanning around his frame, long and dramatic- </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>       "I look like a hunter, huh?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    "What? No, hunters are different. You look… </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty." </span>
  </em>
  <span>He bobs his shell in an imitation of a firm nod. "And </span>
  <em>
    <span>big. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hunters aren't big, it really calls attention to your shoulders. I'd be scared to fight you." Marksman snorts, then laughs, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>laugh, that one where he threw back his shoulders and tilted his head and adjusted his weight- </span>
  <em>
    <span>he laughs like Basal.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He'd noticed it earlier, but it's so much more obvious now, now that Marksman wears the same cloak, making him even bigger to match the Eliksni. "You wouldn't ever fight me," Marksman huffs. "I'm not trying to scare </span>
  <em>
    <span>you." </span>
  </em>
  <span>He adjusts the fabric to sit back in his seat with a hum, reaching out to Solus and purring softly when he settles in his hands again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>      (Forgiveness is sweet, the ghost decides, as he snuggles into his warm palms while the Guardian brings him up to nuzzle their faces together. Almost as sweet as Marksman's still obvious excitement, as both his and Basal's open glee at finding one another, but he thinks forgiveness feels pretty nice.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>